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This report summarizes current experimental research at Cornell University on lightly reinforced concrete structures. Lightly reinforced concrete framing systems, designed primarily for gravity induced loads, with little or no attention given to lateral load effects, are characterized by the following critical details: 1) longitudinal column reinforcement not exceeding 2% with lap splices located immediately above floor levels in the zone of maximum lateral load moment; 2) widely spaced column ties; 3) little or no transverse reinforcement within the joint region; and 4) discontinuous positive moment beam reinforcement with a 6-inch embedment length into the column. This report includes a summary of the full scale experiments conducted on the behavior of lightly reinforced concrete building frame components subjected to reversing cyclic loads (simulated seismic effects). Thirty-four full scale interior and exterior beam-column joints have been tested to date. This extensive experimental program identifies the different damage mechanisms and studies the effect of critical details. The results are intended to provide for the calibration of simplified and more elaborate analytical models to evaluate frame behavior, and for the planning of repair or retrofit.